Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 17: Minister for Horticulture, Syed Basharat Ahmed Bukhari today said that horticulture sector generated a total wage employment of 7.71 crore mandays in the year 2016-17 under apple orchards and others, coming out as one of the major sources for direct and indirect employment generation in the State.
The Minister said this while replying to the discussion on Demand for Grants of Horticulture Department in the Legislative Assembly.
“About 7 lakh farming families with a population of 33 lakh souls are directly or indirectly dependent upon the horticulture sector in the State. It is one of the largest employment generating sectors as one hectare of an apple orchard generates almost 400 mandays per year, besides also generating healthy employment figures in horticulture as well as in other allied sectors”, the Minister asserted.
The Minister informed that Horticulture sector has significantly expanded over the years with an area of 3.38 lakh hectares presently under horticulture, with a production of 23.55 LMTs of which fresh fruit production is 20.75 LMTs and dry fruit production is 2.80 LMTs and is contributing about 8% to the State’s GDP.
The Minister said that J&K produces 70% of the national production in apple, 92% in walnuts, 91% in Almonds and systematic efforts are underway to further strengthen the state’s position in production of fresh and dry fruit.
“A Comprehensive Horticulture Policy is also being formulated for which the department conducted extensive census of existing fruit bearing/non-fruit bearing trees, an exercise due by 36 years” Bukhari said, adding that this updated data will help form a relevant and realistic policy for the state’s horticulture sector.
The Minister informed that the Government has taken an initiative of converting/transforming half the quantum of existing land under apple orchards i.e, 75000 hectares into high density apple plantation to fetch better returns for the growers.
Additionally, around 9 lakh high density plants will be imported in the next year to cover around 320 hectares of orchard area after observing necessary post-quarantine measures, the Minister said, adding that 72 hectares of high density plantation has already been done by the department till date.
The Minister informed the House that 2 Centres of Excellence are being established in consultation with Dutch experts at Udheywalla Jammu and at Zawoora, Srinagar at a cost of Rs 7.80 crore and Rs 9 crore respectively. Besides, 2 Pesticide Testing Laboratories one each in the twin capital cities have been established and 3 Mobile Soil Testing Vans, 2 in Srinagar and 1 in Jammu have been pressed into service, he said.
Bukhari said 6 Model villages including two Mango villages at Jammu for Sungal-Akhnoor and Mallaprode-Khour, 2 Peaca Nut villages one each in District Rajouri and Poonch, a Model Apricot village at Hardass Kargil and a model Apple village at Khiram Sirhama in Anantnag are being developed in the State at a cost of Rs 29.62 crore.
To give thrust to research, teaching and extension in horticulture sector, the government is contemplating to establish a full-fledged Horticulture University in the State in near future, the Minister said.
Earlier, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat initiated the discussion and called for introducing High Density plants in Shopian constituency in view of huge potential of the area. He called for expediting work on Satellite fruit Mandi and protection works around it taken up at a cost of Rs 28 crore at Shopian.
Haji Rasheed demanded upgrading of infrastructure and better freight transport in his home constituency Sopore, which he said is the largest producer of fruit. He called for taking immediate steps for creation of infrastructure for the transportation of fruit from orchards to the market.
Dr Krishan Lal expressed concern over sale of fake and sub standard spray oils in the market. He also urged Government to hold special training program for the orchardists to enable them to adopt scientific methods.
Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen suggested for preservation of traditional and natural fruit types including Ambur, Naakh etc by setting up its nurseries. He said Kashmir was known for these varieties of apple and hence these need to be preserved as the High Density plants are replacing the old varieties.
Mubarak Gul called for regulation of fruit rates to save the orchardists from losses. He said with the import of dry fruit from other states and countries, the local farmers are getting badly hit. He urged the Government to regulate the prices of the fruits to save the local industry.
Mohammad Khalil Bandh urged the Government for early completion of work on fruit Mandi Pulwama. He also called for establishment of Dry Fruit Mandi in the area.
Mohammad Amin Bhat urged the Government to have a lift irrigation scheme for the orchards in his constituency as there is a huge crisis of irrigation. He also asked for constituting a monitoring committee and a special task force to curb the menace of fake spray oils.
Bashir Ahmad Dar urged the Government to intervene at every level to develop the horticulture sector while describing the sector as the jugular’s vein of the State’s economy.
Shakti Raj Parihar called for providing modern farming tools on subsidized rates to the orchardists. He also called for establishment a fruit Mandi in Doda and construction of Water Harvesting tanks to ensure better irrigation for orchards.
Asgar Ali Karbali urged Government to give industry status to the horticulture sector. He said there was a nursery of different fruits in Kargil district some decades ago but there is no such nursery in present times.
Altaf Ahmad Wani said people are switching to horticulture sector as paddy is not generating income for them and urged the Government to allow the people to convert agriculture land into horticulture land.
Yawar Ahmad Mir said despite having largest Fruit Mandi, the horticulture sector is in dilapidated condition in Baramulla district. He urged Government to develop the Sopore Fruit Mandi on modern lines and modernise Doabgah Juice plant so that it can be turned into profit generating unit.
Dalip Singh Parihar appealed for establishment of a fruit Mandi in Bhaderwah and also urged the Government to introduce high density plants in the area. He also urged Government to provide more green houses and other agricultural tools including power tillers etc to the people of his constituency.
Mohammad Akbar Lone urged upon the Government to restore the lost glory of this industry and take steps to ensure better yield in the sector.
Ch Sukhnandan urged the Government to take steps to curb the sale and marketing of fake spray oils. Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar urged for creating awareness among farmers with regard to implementation of modern farming techniques.
Javid Hussain Beigh called for promotion of new variety of fruits, adding till now the successive regimes have focused on apple only.
Davinder Maniyal called for promotion of citrus fruit in Sambaand urged the Government to take initiatives for better marketing of this fruits in the market so that more income is generated.
Shah Mohammad Tantray urged the Government to make the Fruit Mandi Poonch functional this year. He also appealed the Government to announce establishment of a walnut village in Poonch as it produces a good amount of walnut.
Abdul Majid Larmi also urged the Government to provide liberal funding for early completion of Jaglipora Fruit Mandi.
Abdul Rahim Rather urged upon the Government to devise a better marketing facility for sale of walnut.
Later, the House passed the grants for the year 2018-19.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
